In general, the invention is related to methods for treating, ameliorating, or attenuating an ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and is a major clinical problem. Reperfusion of tissues and organs subjected to ischemia or hypoperfusion elicits an inflammatory response, resulting in damage and malfunction of the affected tissues and organs. I/R injury occurs in response to a variety of clinical conditions including, e.g., shock, organ transplantation, myocardial infarction, stroke, and systemic autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus). Current therapies for ischemic disease are directed at the restoration of blood flow to the ischemic region. However, during reperfusion, additional damage may occur due to the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for methods of treating ischemia-reperfusion injury.